Until the Stars are All Alright
by Jediempress
Summary: He had failed his friend, he would not fail that friend's son. Prizefic for RikuRocks and very different from my usual. COMPLETE.
1. Introduction

Until the Stars are All Alright

_He watched the boy from the shadows; had been watching him for some time now. The child was strong but had been damaged. He silently snarled at what that fool had done to his child._

_He now knew without a doubt that this boy was in fact his. He had a son, born about in the normal way. He barely recalled the woman who had bore the child. That had been in another lifetime, before he knew Mother._

_It was Mother who had revealed to him his destiny, who had shown him what he truly was. She had taught him to embrace his power and to destroy those foolish enough to attempt to control him. …But she was gone now and he was alone._

_The teenager laughed at something his sparring partner said. Faded green eyes narrowed at the other man. It troubled him that his son was so close to the traitors. He cursed himself for not having found the boy sooner. He would have if it had not been for Xehanort…_

_He had to admit that the training the freshly turned seventeen-year-old was receiving from his one time comrades was turning him into an excellent warrior. A small part of him was grateful for the emotional support his child had received. He did not want his son to simply become a tool for the darkness._

_The duelists stopped, smiling and congratulating one another for a good round. The raven-haired man stepped away, tossing the teen a small towel from the pile of gear they had brought with to the clearing. The silver-haired youth caught it easily, wiping at his slightly sweaty face._

_As the older man gathered their belongings, the teen paused. He slowly turned, looking to his left. He stared at the thick patch of forest as if studying the shadows within it. After a moment, he turned away and headed over to help collect the pair's items._

_They left the clearing and he stepped out of the shadows. His child had sensed his presence. He had felt him._

_A light wind had kicked up, rustling the trees. He allowed himself a smile as his lengthy silver bangs brushed his sharp cheekbones. His impossibly long hair blew to the side and his three wings twitched in anticipation._

_It was time to begin reclaiming his son._

--0—0—

So, totally different from anything else I've done. This is a prize-fic for Riku-Rocks and it probably will not be too long.


	2. Unsettling Events

Unsettling events

"Morning, all!" Zack greeted the rest of the committee heads as he and Aerith entered headquarters. "Lovely weather we're having."

Cid grunted from the computer. "If you find fucking tornadoes lovely."

Zack glanced over at the couch along the wall. Leon was carefully reading over a report, the fingers of his free hand absently toying with the head of silver hair sleeping on his lap. "What wrong with Riku?"

"He was having nightmares all night." Leon answered quietly, eyes flicking for a moment toward the teen in question before returning to his report.

The raven-haired man frowned. He felt rather close to the teenager and often found himself worrying about him. "He's been having a lot of those lately."

"Yeah," Leon did not hide the worry from his expression.

"Cloud's been kind of off, too." Zack noted thoughtfully. "He's been giving Riku odd looks."

"Doesn't he usually?" Cid snorted.

Aerith gave him a mild reproachful look. "Zack is right. It's almost as if Cloud's trying to figure out something when he's with Riku."

"Well you're supposed to be Spiky's best friend." Cid noted. "Why don't you ask him?"

"You really think he's going to tell me?" Zack rolled his eyes. "You know Cloud as well as I do."

There was another snort. "It's probably another Sephiroth thing. He's still convinced the psycho's going to come back."

Zack frowned heavily. Even though he understood why Cid did it, he hated when he referred to Sephiroth as the psycho. He realized that there was no way his old friend could be saved from the psychosis that had completely overtaken him but he simply could not let go of the small hope that somehow something would change.

Aerith touched his arm, snapping him out of it.

He sighed. "Next time I see Cloud, I'll try to coax something out of him. Maybe he just needs The Talk again."

"I wish that wasn't necessary." Leon's tone was bitter. "Riku is nothing like Sephiroth. I don't know what it is about Riku that troubles Cloud so much. It can't just be his looks."

"I don't know." The former SOLDIER shook his head. He did not want to continue on this subject. "So what's the game plan for today?"

"Cloud and Zell are out at the castle. If you don't mind getting a little wet, they could use help over there." Leon set his report down. He glanced at the sleeping teenager in his lap. "I don't want to wake him but I should head out there also."

"It's all right." Riku mumbled sleepily. "I'm awake."

He sat up slowly, swinging his feet to the floor. Rolling his shoulders, he smiled a bit at Leon. "Thank you."

The older man brushed some of Riku's silver hair back. "You needed it."

Zack glanced at Aerith who merely went to work on organizing the files. She was not quite as accepting of Leon and Riku's closeness as he was. If fact, she was rather conflicted over the whole thing.

Riku stood, stretching. "Do you want me to come with to the castle? Working on computers is probably a bad idea during a thunderstorm."

Cid snorted. He was shutting down his console just as the teen said this. "I'm gonna fix that hole in the garage. Remind me to kick Sora's ass next time he's here."

"He didn't mean to do it." Riku defended his friend.

"Don't care."

"Looks like the rain has let up some." Zack noted, looking out the window. "If we're going to go, now's the time."

Leon stood and the four headed for the door. Zack blew Aerith a kiss as they ducked out. Cid turned the opposite direction, throwing a wave over his shoulder as he hurried away. The other three went to the castle.

The rain picked up once again when they reached the courtyard. They ran into the main hall, shaking the water from their hair. Zack chuckled, removing his jacket as Leon did the same. "Well that was fun."

Riku was staring just past the staircase, a confused frown on his young face.

"Riku?" The raven-haired man queried rather harshly.

The boy pulled his gaze away. "Yeah?"

Leon looked at him with concern. "You got that feeling again, didn't you?"

Zack studied the teen carefully for a moment. He had noticed that since the last time they had sparred in the forest, Riku had been prone to spacing out and every once in awhile was caught staring oddly into shadows. He had wondered if anyone else had noticed.

"Yeah," Riku answered slowly. He snapped himself out of whatever it was and smiled lightly at the other two. "So, where are we going?"

Leon was still clearly worried but he only said, "We should go find Cloud and Zell."

"Cloud's in the parlor." Riku stated, turning and going up the large staircase.

Leon blew out a breath. "I really wish I knew how he did that."

He followed the boy but Zack hesitated. He found himself looking at the spot that Riku had been so fixated on. He took a step toward it, narrowing his eyes. He swore he saw a spot of green. Taking one more step, there was a brief flurry of movement and a flash of silver.

Zack stared. There was no way, absolutely no way…

"Zack?" Leon called down. "You coming?"

The former SOLDIER frowned, slowly turning away. "Yeah."

--0—

Cloud looked over at them as they entered the room. He focused on Riku for a moment, bright blue eyes intent. He abruptly turned away.

Leon did not miss this and lightly placed a hand on Riku's shoulder as he passed him. The boy offered a weak smile. Leon moved to where Cloud was working. "How's it going?"

The blonde made a noise in the back of his throat.

Zack came over and looked at what had been done. "Wow, Spike. You're really slacking off today."

"I've been distracted." Cloud muttered, throwing a quick look over his shoulder. "How long have you been here?"

"Maybe ten minutes." Zack studied his friend carefully. He was clearly troubled by something. This coupled with that he thought he had seen near the stairs made Zack rather uneasy. "Why?"

Cloud did not answer him.

Leon sighed silently. "Where's Zell?"

"He went down the hall to check out the condition of the other rooms." Cloud replied quietly.

"I'll go look for him." Riku volunteered, clearly anxious to leave the room.

Zack suddenly turned. For whatever reason, he did not want Riku wandering the castle alone. "I'll come with you."

They walked out together, heading down the lengthy hall. Zack glanced at Riku a few times, noticing the boy's slightly uneasy expression. In a soft tone, he asked. "What's wrong?"

Riku was silent, clearly reluctant to answer. After a moment, he bit his lip. "For the past few days, I've felt like… well, not exactly like I'm being watched but I'm not sure how else to describe it. It's almost as if I'm being tracked."

Zack thought this over for a few minutes.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Riku continued. "These stupid nightmares I've been having are making me paranoid."

Zack did not think so but he kept quiet. Until he had more information, he could not be certain of anything. There were too many unknowns and he knew that he could not simply ask Riku the questions he wanted to.

Maybe he should try to get Leon to talk to him.

Riku paused and looked down the hall. "What?"

The older man studied him. No one had said anything and the teen was acting like he was listening intently to someone. Cloud had used to do that…

"Riku." Zack barked.

Silver hair whipped in his direction, momentarily confused. Riku blinked once and the daze left him. It was as if nothing had happened. "What?"

"Where were you?"

Riku frowned. "What do you mean?"

Okay, this was getting scary. "You completely spaced out just now."

Riku raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I did?"

"Yeah." Zack felt a heavy weight settle in his chest. He had to talk to Cloud _now_. "Never mind. Let's find Zell."

They located the man two rooms down. The tattooed blonde grinned at them as they came in, totally oblivious to the uneasiness to Zack's features. "Hey, guys, nice storm we got going on out there, huh?"

"I used to love thunderstorms." Riku noted, heading for the large window that ran the far wall. "Now they just make me nervous."

He watched the rain run down the glass.

Zack glanced at Zell. He figured the man would keep an eye on Riku if he left. It was likely that Leon would come running if Zack even hinted he was concerned. "I want to go check something really quick. I'll be right back."

Zell gave him an odd look. Zack met his eyes and mouthed _watch him_. The blonde frowned but nodded once, glancing at the boy still mesmerized by the rain.

Zack darted from the room and jogged back down the hall. Near the same spot Riku had suddenly paused, he felt someone's presence behind him. He slid to a halt and spun around.

He nearly fell back on his butt.

Intent, slightly amused and completely insane green eyes gazed upon him. There was a smirk on those familiar features. The black wing on his back twitched once, a few feathers breaking free and fluttering to the carpeted floor.

"Hello, Zackary."


	3. Layered Words

Layered Words

"Sephiroth." Zack stated dumbly, almost as if clarifying this was who the man was in his own mind.

"Eloquent as ever." Sephiroth's smirk held a trace of a real smile. "I see the Ancient is not the only one who had difficulty remaining deceased."

Zack was uncertain what to say. Seeing his friend like this was just as painful as it had been the first time. He realized that he should not have been surprised by the man's return but something was tugging at the back of his mind. Some how, he knew that Sephiroth had not returned for his usual reasons.

"I am curious as to why you were brought back." Sephiroth angled his head. "What purpose do you hold?"

Violet-hued eyes narrowed. "Maybe the higher powers just like me."

The former general snorted softly.

"Why are you here, Sephiroth?" Zack knew it was unlikely he would get an actual answer but he needed to try. It was extremely unsettling to again be in this man's presence while he was like this.

He still wished with all of his heart that there was something he could do to bring his friend back to the man he used to be. That ill-fated mission to Niebleheim had been the absolute worst days of his life. He had stood by, never imagining that his friend would emerge from that library completely and thoroughly changed.

Zack had tried reasoning with him, had tried to understand what had happened, what had changed. Sephiroth had only given him that distracted stare before those slitted eyes were over-taken by a foreign gaze and angry frown. The words _damn traitor_ had been murmured before Zack's world had gone black.

"I knew you were back." Cloud's voice was soft but it echoed through the hall.

"Cloud." The silver-haired man cast his gaze over Zack's shoulder. "It took you much longer to gain awareness of my presence this time. You are normally so astute in that regard."

"Not by choice." The blonde snarled.

That smirk was back on Sephiroth's features. "You have more choice in the matter than you let yourself believe."

Zack had been keeping a watchful eye on Sephiroth's posture. The winged man was standing casually but there was an underlying tension. He had seen this from the man before. He knew without doubt that there was indeed a specific purpose for Sephiroth being here.

Cloud had moved to dart forward but Zack held up a hand, looking behind him. Leon had taken hold of Cloud's shoulder and was also watching Sephiroth. There was something unreadable within those steel eyes.

Not wanting to waste time, Zack turned back to the man who had once been his friend. This was the first time since Niebleheim that he had had the chance to try to speak to the man. In a quiet tone, he asked his earlier question again. "Why are you here, Seph?"

There was a brief change to those spring green eyes. It was fleeting, but he had reacted to the nickname. Only Zack had ever gotten away with using it.

A half-smile graced the deceptively beautiful face. "I am here for the same reason as all of you."

"I highly doubt that." Leon argued.

Sephiroth centered his attention on the Gunblade wielder. There was an almost protective glint to his eyes. "Do you? Tell me then, what is it you wish to accomplish by rebuilding this world? It is not truly yours yet you treat it as if it were."

"It is now." The sable-haired man replied. "And I'll be damned if I let you do anything to it."

"And does this… promise apply to those under your _protection_ as well?" There was something odd in Sephiroth's voice.

Leon's neutral expression darkened. Cloud broke free of his grasp and sprang forward only to be blocked by Zack. All three men were completely focused on Sephiroth.

Just past Sephiroth's arm, Zack barely caught sight of Riku stepping into the hall. An unreasonable panic ceased him, praying that Sephiroth did not turn around. He silently willed the teen to go back into the room even though he knew the boy would not.

Then he saw the near vacant expression to Riku's features. Sephiroth slowly turned and his shoulder wing twitched. The two silver-haired males regarded one another for an impossible moment.

Riku took one step forward.

"Stop!" The First Class screamed.

Sephiroth abruptly turned back toward him and became deadly serious. "I will take back what is mine."

Then he disappeared in a swirl of black and purple.

Riku suddenly blinked and seemed to stumble.

Leon raced over and gripped the teen to him, steadying him. Zack and Cloud were right behind him. The raven-haired one spoke in a low tone. "Are you all right?"

"Was that…?" Riku seemed rather confused.

"That was Sephiroth." Leon explained gently. He brushed at Riku's bangs and looked him over very carefully.

"He's…"

Cloud was staring at Riku intently. Something in the blonde's eyes shifted. "Leon, get him out of here. Now."

Leon shot an uncertain look at him but Zack caught his eye and nodded agreement. Obviously confused, Leon wrapped his arm around Riku's shoulders and began leading him out. Once they disappeared down the stairs, Zack and Cloud turned to one another.

Cloud began without preamble. "Sephiroth is after Riku and I think I know why."

Zack worried his lip. "I think I do, too."

"How?" Cloud moved away a few steps. "How can he be…?"

"There's only one way to find out." Zack straightened his shoulders. "Do you know where he went?"

Cloud's presence seemed to somehow go distant. "He's still in the castle but I can't tell exactly where. It's almost like he's in two different places… the dungeons."

"Are you sure?"

"Unless Leon took Riku there, yes."

"Fine. Go get Zell and get out of here. Do not follow me."

Cloud glared at him. "You aren't going to try to talk to him!"

"I'm the only one he might…"

The blonde closed his eyes and blew out a breath. When he opened them again, there was a mix of anger and worry. "Zack, when are you going to understand that the Sephiroth you knew is _gone_. He's not coming back."

"Maybe not," Zack reluctantly agreed. He looked down the path Leon and Riku had taken. "But if what we suspect is true, there's a chance…"

Cloud stared at him incredulously. He turned in agitation and stalked off toward the room Zell was in. "Just don't get yourself killed again."

Zack allowed himself a small smile before heading down the hall, past the central stairs and to a servant's stairwell on the other side. He walked down them at a steady rate, keeping his thoughts tightly focused. He was not entirely sure why he was doing this.

At the bottom, he entered a dark, stone lined hallway. Glancing in both directions, he followed his gut reaction and went left. At the far end of the corridor was an open door with a visible, flickering torch within the door.

Preparing himself for anything, he strode into the room. He gasped when he looked around. Flashes of the library of Shinra mansion danced before his eyes.

"It is like déjà vu, is it not?" Sephiroth's smooth voice quietly asked. He stood before a book shelf but it was clear that he was not looking for anything upon it. "You tried to stop Mother and myself then."

"And I wish like hell I had been able to." Zack stated easily.

"Humm." Long silver hair flitted in the air as the man possessing it turned to face his one time friend. He looked at Zack thoughtfully. "Perhaps it would have been better if you had."

The raven-haired man narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"If you had been successful…" Sephiroth abruptly changed subjects. "Mother is gone now but her legacy remains. The effects of her presence will forever remain with her heir. The only way it ends is if I fail in my efforts to claim what is rightfully mine."

There was something very peculiar to Sephiroth's tone. The words felt like they had two meanings. It was as if he was trying to tell Zack he did not want to succeed.

Violet eyes widened and suddenly Zack understood _completely_. "Riku is _your_ son, isn't he?"

Sephiroth turned to him. There was that trace of a genuine smile and something familiar in his green eyes. "Yes."


	4. Masked Desires

Masked Desires

It was rare for Zack to be rendered speechless. He was the one who always held it together; the one everyone knew they could count on to lighten the moment no matter how terrible. He processed things and moved on.

This was going to take a minute.

Sephiroth simply watched him with a faintly intrigued expression. He was clearly curious as to what Zack was going to do with this new information. What was uncertain was exactly why he was so interested.

Suddenly, Zack let out a single laugh. "You know, I always figured you didn't have time for women."

The older man smirked. "One can always find time for sex."

That was a statement Zack never imagined he would hear from Sephiroth. Under any other circumstances, he would be laughing hysterically. "Do you even remember who his mother is?"

"The woman who bore him is irrelevant. He is my child, no one else's." Sephiroth turned away, muttering to himself. "Only mine, not hers."

Zack studied him closely. The older man was tense and though Zack had no way of knowing for certain, his shoulder wing seemed to minutely twitch in agitation. This could be due to many things but Zack remembered his friend. Regardless of how much he may have changed after his psychological meltdown, he had to believe something of the old Sephiroth remained.

Sephiroth turned abruptly, cat-like eyes expressing curiosity. "The boy reminds you of me, doesn't he?"

How was he supposed to answer that? Yes, Riku had reminded Zack of his lost friend but the two were so very different. There were still some obvious similarities but he did not feel comfortable discussing them with Sephiroth.

Sephiroth gave Zack a knowing smile. "Cloud is afraid of my son."

"No, he isn't." Zack countered reflexively.

"Strife knows who Riku is even if he is not yet consciously aware. He feels a connection to him similar to how he is connected to me." Sephiroth explained easily, expression mild. "That connection will prove itself useful."

"How?" Again the black-haired man got that strange feeling that there was a whole other conversation going on beneath the surface one.

"Riku is just beginning to feel my presence. He is weak and very easily controlled." A faint smile crossed those fine features. "Though he did manage to contain and eventually overcome Xehanort far better than I could have hoped."

There was pride in Sephiroth's voice as he said this. How long had he known about Riku? Why had he not tried to claim him before this? Zack had a dozen questions flowing through his mind and he knew he was not going to get satisfactory answers to them from Sephiroth.

"Cloud has become quite adept at countering my attempts to control him. I barely have influence over him anymore." The former general's tone had gone neutral again. "There is much my son can learn from him."

Violet-hued eyes narrowed. Sephiroth was clearly hinting that he wanted Riku to go to Cloud. The winged man wanted Riku to learn how to block him out. That was extremely telling. Folding his arms, Zack leaned back a bit. "You said Jenova is gone."

Sephiroth's voice dropped, a lonely tone creeping into it as he spoke. "Mother died with the planet. I have not had her presence with me for so long now..."

Zack worried his lip. The pieces were beginning to fall into place. Sephiroth had not been without Jenova's influence in nearly ten years. The man had to be feeling a profound loneliness.

"When did you find out about Riku?" Zack asked as casually as he could.

"That is irrelevant to where we currently are." Sephiroth declared, slipping back into his superior attitude. "What is relevant is that I am aware of him."

Sephiroth whirled around, walking further into the library. He grasped his hands behind his back and paused before another bookshelf. "The question for you is, what will you do now?"

"What will _I_ do?" Zack echoed.

"You care about my son, correct?"

"Well, yeah."

"You know what will happen when I take him."

Zack's heart ceased up. There was no doubt in his mind what would happen to Riku should Sephiroth get his hands on him. He would break the boy, turn him into another him or possibly worse. There was no question, no maybe about it.

That could not happen. Zack would _not_ lose another person he cared for to this madness. Riku was strong but Zack had thought the same of Sephiroth. He had truly believed the older man would get a grip on himself.

"That won't happen." Zack's voice was firm.

"I do not believe you can stop me."

"Yes you do." The First Class countered. "You don't want to put Riku through any of this. I've heard it in your voice, Seph. You don't want to hurt your son; you just don't want to be alone."

The other man was silent.

Zack waited, praying his words had reached that part of the old Sephiroth that had been trying to appear throughout the conversation. He knew he was right. The only reason Sephiroth would be going through the trouble of speaking to him about this was because he knew Zack would intervene.

A soft laugh came from Sephiroth's direction. "You always did believe you knew me better than anyone."

He slowly turned, face emotionless but eyes glittering with malice. "You were mistaken then and you are mistaken now, Colonel."

Zack held his ground, restraining himself from drawing the Buster Sword.

Sephiroth approached him with deliberate intent. Cold, feline eyes bore into him. "Riku is _my_ child and I will do with him as I please. I will undo the damage done to him by that Heartless fool. I will rebuild him into the god he was born to be. He will be greater than myself, greater than even Mother."

Zack set his jaw and unflinchingly met those Mako-enhanced eyes with his own. "Yes, he will be greater than you but you won't be the one to make him so."

Something within the madness that colored Sephiroth's eyes shifted. Zack's words had reached some deeply hidden part of the man. There was a flash of emotion too brief to be read.

Black wings fluttered, a few feathers releasing. Sephiroth's features twisted into one of his sardonic smirks. "Well then, I suppose the battle is on."

Zack frowned, letting his remorse highlight his expression. "Does it really have to come to this, Seph? I know you don't want this. You don't want him to become another you."

"Then I suggest you come up with a strategy to prevent it." Sephiroth took two steps back. "You have twelve hours before I collect Riku. See that my son's _suitor_ makes them count."

He disappeared in a swirl of black and purple, several feather flitting through the air in his wake.

Zack stared at the now empty spot for a moment before dropping onto the floor. His hand shook as it rested on his upraised right knee. Hanging his head, he struggled to regain control of his emotions.

This could not be happening again. Sephiroth did not want to harm Riku, Zack believed that with everything he was. He had chosen Zack to protect his son. How was he supposed to do that when he was unable to save the boy's father?

Taking a deep, calming breath Zack got back to his feet. He did not know how he was going to do it but somehow he was going to do for Riku what he could not for Sephiroth.

He owed his old friend that much.


	5. Discussion and Decisions

Okay, I lied. This went on longer than I planned so there will be one more part after this one. Let me know what you guys think so far.

Part 5: Discussion and Decisions

Zack put off returning to town. He left the castle proper and walked around until he reached the rising falls. Sitting on the edge of one of the scattered platforms, he stared at the upward rushing water before him. The roar of the falls helped calm the turmoil of his mind.

When he woke up this morning, he was prepared for another boring day of work. He usually found ways to make things fun and the frequent minor catastrophes broke up the monotony but, for the most part, everyday had been about the same since he had been unexpectedly returned to life.

It never entered his mind that he would be dragged back into the nightmare that had destroyed and ultimately ended his life.

The minute he had seen Riku, he had felt a familiarity about the boy. The similarities in appearance aside, there was simply something about the teen that struck his heart and he felt like he had known Riku for years. That connection had only intensified as he had really come to know the boy.

Now that he knew the truth, so much that all of them had been questioning about Riku made sense; Cloud's seemingly unfounded uneasiness around Riku was even understandable. The missing piece of the puzzle that was Riku had snapped into its place revealing a heartbreaking picture.

Zack did not know what to do next. No one would take this information well. Cloud's reaction would obviously be the most violent. Leon, once he processed it, was likely to become even more protective of the teen. The others would probably have tons of questions, but were not liable to get too caught up in the details.

What concerned Zack more than anything was how Riku was going to handle this. In all honesty, the ex-SOLDIER did not want to tell Riku about any of this. He wanted the teen to remain completely ignorant of his biological father.

He knew that Sephiroth would not allow that.

Zack climbed to his feet. He was wasting time here and he really could not afford to do that. He needed to find Leon and Cloud and explain all of this to them. They would then need to process and come to terms with it before they could formulate a way to protect Riku.

With a heavy step, he made his way back to town. Doing some mental calculations, he figured an hour had passed since he and Sephiroth parted ways. That gave him eleven hours.

He came across Zell first and he knew by the tattooed man's expression that he knew something was horribly wrong. Zack simply asked where Leon or Cloud was. Zell was not sure about Cloud, but he said that Leon was at headquarters. Zack thanked him and when Zell asked if there was anything he could do, the raven-haired man smiled tightly, muttering '_just be ready'_. For what, he did not explain.

He paused outside of headquarters. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his shoulders and went in. Aerith and Leon both turned and their already concerned expressions grew darker. Aerith walked toward Zack and wrapped her arms around his waist. Zack managed a heart-felt smile and lightly kissed her forehead.

He then fixed his attention on Leon. He knew the man was terrified but the only sign he gave of his distress was the deep frown that pulled at his mouth. The sable-haired one had his arms folded and was simply waiting for Zack to speak.

"I'll leave you two," volunteered Aerith softly. She moved to leave but Zack gripped her hands.

"No." He stated evenly. "You should hear this, too."

He met her green eyes and there was such warmth and compassion to them, he started to believe he could do this. He thanked whatever higher powers saw fit to bring them together. He released her hands and motioned her to sit.

He then set his full attention on Leon. He decided not to mince words with the man. Leon needed and wanted people to be completely straight with him. He met the steel-grey eyes of the younger man and wished like hell that he did not have to say his next words.

"Sephiroth is Riku's father."

Leon made no reaction in the long, oppressive pause that followed. He did not even blink. When he spoke, his tone was completely even. "He wants his son."

"It's more complicated than that."

Aerith held a hand to her mouth and watched Zack with large, understanding eyes. "You actually spoke to _him._"

The First Class nodded. "It was… sporadic but enough that I know what he truly wants."

He turned back to Leon, who still had not moved. "Sephiroth wants us to protect Riku from him. He doesn't want his son to become like him. I've been given twelve hours before Seph tries to take Riku again."

A single sable eyebrow rose. "And you believe him?"

"Yes. Sephiroth has never lied." Zack said firmly. "He wants us to stop him."

"Then why is he going after him?" A hard edge had come to Leon's tone. "Why can't he just leave Riku alone?"

Zack was uncertain that he could make the other man understand. He stared at the floor and sighed. "Jenova has completely abandoned him. He is truly alone for the first time in a decade and he's afraid. He doesn't want to be alone, he never did. That was how she got into his head in the first place.

"However, his mind has become so twisted, so corrupt, that he thinks he has to literally take and control people to get them to stay with him."

"…Because that's what Jenova did to him," Aerith concluded, dropping her hand from her mouth.

"Yes."

"Sephiroth has been calling for him," Leon got out slowly. "That's why he's been so distracted. Sephiroth knows he cannot simply walk up to Riku and take him. He's been slowly manipulating his mind."

"It's the exact same thing he did with Cloud," Zack confirmed. "That's how he got Cloud to retrieve the Black Materia for him."

Leon fell back against the wall. He lifted his head back enough for it to touch the drywall. He stared at the high ceiling for a minute. Suddenly, he turned his gaze back to Zack. "You said Sephiroth wants us to stop him."

"Seph knows what will happen to Riku if he ends up with him. He wants the best for his son and the sane part of his mind, the piece of his true self, knows that Riku remaining as far away from him as possible is what's best for him. However, he has that desperate need to have his child by his side. The part of him that is corrupted, wants to see his son continue Jenova's legacy. It wants Riku to be molded into something bigger and greater than Sephiroth was."

Leon's jaw locked and he turned his face away. "Riku's already greater than Sephiroth can ever be."

Zack felt a smile tug at his lips. "You really are hung up on him."

Leon did not move. "What can we do?"

"We protect Riku." Zack stated simply. "I won't lose another person I care for to this madness."

Leon met his eyes and Zack knew that the man was just as devoted to Riku as he was. There was no way they were going to fail the teenager. Violet eyes flicked over to Aerith, who was looking at Leon as if she finally truly believed that he cared for Riku.

She looked to Zack and bit her lip. "So how do we do this?"

"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure." Zack rubbed at the back of his head. "We have a little over ten hours left to figure it out."

"Would telling Riku about all of this help?"

"He needs to know," declared Leon with absolute certainty. "If he knows what he's facing, he can begin figuring out how to resist."

"I agree." Zack nodded. "However we can't dump all of this on him at once. It's too much and no one, I don't care how strong, would be able to take it in one shot. That's why Sephiroth snapped when he found out. He got it all in one dose and his mind couldn't handle it."

Leon wiped at his face with a gloved hand. "Riku has already been though too much. I don't know how much more he can take."

The three were quiet for a long moment.

Aerith bit her lip and glanced between the two. "I wish I didn't have to bring this up but what do we tell Cloud?"

Leon actually groaned. "He is not going to react well to this."

"I don't know," disagreed Zack. "He may surprise us. He's the only one who knows what Riku is facing. If he can see that Riku is no different knowing that Seph is his dad, Cloud is probably Riku's best chance of resisting Seph."

"Or he'll simply lump Riku along with Sephiroth." Leon set his jaw. "You both know how he already acts around Riku."

Zack sighed and nodded.

"If he even tries to go after Riku, I will not go easy on him." Leon muttered.

The First Class frowned deeply. He understood Leon's position but he was not about to let any of his friends get hurt or worse, killed, because of this. "We'll make Cloud see."

Steel-colored eyes met violet-hued squarely. Leon nodded once but did not relax his stance. "We need to find them."

Zack angled his head. "They're together?"

"They both went to help Cid at the garage." Aerith stood. She stepped over and wrapped her arms around Zack in a comforting embrace.

He returned it tightly before moving a bit away, keeping one arm at her waist. "Let's see if they're still there. As we head over we can figure out how we want to do this. I do not want to attempt explaining all of this to both of them at once."

Leon pulled himself from the wall and approached the couple. When he reached them, Aerith held up her hand and touched his face. She gave him a smile. "Riku will be okay."

The sable-haired man managed a very faint grin at her assurance before looking at Zack. Neither man pretended that they were not extremely worried about the coming hours. There was no way to know what was about to happen and they all understood that in spite of all of their efforts, this could easily be beyond any of them.

…But damn it all, they were going to try.


	6. Reluctant Help and Betrayal

Reluctant Help and Betrayal

The walk to the garage was brisk and silent. Zack kept his arm around Aerith's shoulders, the couple taking the lead. Leon walked steadily behind them, expression set with determination. The townspeople they passed seemed to realize something important was occurring for they simply smiled and waved at them as they passed.

Outside the garage, Yuffie stopped sorting odd parts to look at then. "All right, what's going on?"

Zack narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Cloud and Riku have been fighting since they got here! I've never seen Riku so…" The ninja girl shook her head. "He's acting really weird, like a totally different person."

Zack's heart clenched. Before he could speak, Leon stepped forward. His voice was tightly controlled. "Where's Riku?"

"We got tired of listening to them bicker so Tifa took Riku with her to the market."

Zack shared a look with Leon. That was a bit of a relief to both of them. Riku should be safe with Tifa for the time being. Leon turned back to Yuffie. "…And Cloud?"

She motioned with her head. "Inside with Cid."

Zack glanced at Aerith. She nodded, placing a kiss on his cheek before stepping over to Yuffie. "Come on, Yuffie. Let's go find Tifa and Riku."

The ninja princess narrowed her eyes knowing she was being left out of something. She shot a glare at the two males and stalked off with Aerith.

Leon moved for the door but Zack stopped him. He gave the sable-haired man a hard look. "Let me deal with Cloud."

"So long as he doesn't start something," muttered Leon darkly, breaking away.

Together they entered the garage. The moment Cloud fixed his bright blue eyes upon them, they knew he knew. His expression was cold and fury burned within those eyes.

His tone was stern. "You can't save him."

Zack's was equally set. "Maybe. We won't know unless we try."

Cid, who had wisely kept quiet until now, flicked his cigarette. "So what exactly is the kid?"

Cloud's stance and expression did not change. "He's Sephiroth's son."

Cid spat out the cigarette he had just replaced to his mouth. "Fuck! You sure?"

Zack sighed. "I heard it from Seph himself."

"Sick fuck could have been lying." They all knew Cid was reaching. He understood that this was not something Sephiroth would lie about.

"They both need to die."

Leon glared at Cloud. "Riku has done nothing wrong."

"He will." The blonde countered. "Sephiroth has already gotten into his head."

"He's been in yours for years." Leon snapped. "If I remember the story correctly, he manipulated _you_ to hand over what he needed to destroy your world. Does that mean we should kill you, too?"

"It's not the same, Leonhart."

"The hell it isn't, Strife."

"Stop it, both of you!" Zack interrupted. "This is not helping. Now let me explain to Cloud what's going on."

Leon's jaw was set and he walked stiffly toward Cid, arms folded across his chest. Steel-gray eyes remained fixed on Cloud, noting everything he could about the blond's reaction as Zack quickly told Cloud what he knew. He got next to nothing.

Cloud seemed completely unmoved by his best friend's story. Once Zack finished, the younger man tuned and took a few steps away. "I know you want to believe that Sephiroth isn't completely gone, Zack but-"

"Don't, Cloud." Zack moved forward and took Cloud's arm, forcing him to face him. "I _know_ it was Seph I was talking to and even if you don't believe it, this isn't about Seph. We have to keep Riku from becoming his father's next victim. I _will not_ lose someone else to this insanity."

Blue eyes locked with violet for a long moment in a silent battle of wills. With obvious reluctance, Cloud turned away with a heavy sigh. "I don't think I can help him. It's taken me years to build up my defenses and Sephiroth still can break through them when he really wants to. Since Riku shares a true physical bond with him…"

"We have to try, Spike."

The blond slowly nodded. He flicked his eyes toward Leon. "You realize this is likely a futile effort."

The sable-haired man made no physical reaction but the color of his eyes shifted. "It doesn't matter. I won't lose him."

Cloud blew out a breath, shaking his head. "All right. First thing first; I need to apologize to Riku for being a complete ass to him lately."

"Good plan," Zack snickered. "Might want to extend that to the rest of us while you're at it."

Cloud ignored him and walked for door. "We'll find him in the market and take him to Zack and Aerith's. Then we'll…"

He slowly trailed off, a dark look overtaking his expression.

"Cloud?" Zack grabbed hold of his arm. Leon moved away from the worktable as did Cid. The older blond had listened to all of this carefully and knowing he could not do anything, he simply remained quiet.

"Fuck!" Cloud suddenly cursed. "Sephiroth is doing something but I can't tell what. I'm getting that weird disjointed feeling again."

"We have to find Riku." Leon stated. Even as he spoke the words, the four were running for the door.

--0—0—

The marketplace did not look any different than it normally did. People wandered through it, shopping for various items and talking and laughing among themselves. It was rather crowded for this time of day.

"Where the fuck did all of these people come from?" Cid looked around.

"Do either of you see any of them?" Zack asked in a slightly panicked tone. It was too easy to get split up in this crowd.

Cloud still had that distracted expression. Bright, blue eyes cast about vigorously. "I can't tell if he's here or not."

Leon was a bit ahead of them, frantically searching through the groups of people. There was no sign of silver hair. It was obvious that he was beginning to panic.

Zack took a different tactic and sought out Aerith or Tifa. He was a bit taller than the others and used that to look over a good portion of the people gathered around. The crowding was rather unusual but he doubted Sephiroth had anything to do with that.

"Zack!"

He whirled around at the sound of Tifa's voice. The dark-haired woman wove her way quickly toward them, face worried. When she finally reached them, she let out a rough breath.

She was holding her side as if it were wounded.

Cloud spoke before she could. "He's gone."

"What?" Leon darted over, pushing his way past people. Cold grey eyes bore into Tifa. "What happened?"

"I don't know." She straightened. "Aerith and Yuffie had just found us and Yuffie went off to talk to someone. Riku, Aerith and I were going to sit in the coffee shop when Riku got really quiet and began mumbling again.

"Suddenly, he began walking away and when I tried to stop him, he hit me with a dark aura." Tifa took another breath. "Aerith followed him."

"Damnit!" Zack kicked at a nearby display. He did not want Aerith to have anything to do with any of this. Sephiroth had already killed her once for getting in his way. He shot a look at Cloud. "Where are they?"

Cloud shook his head. "I don't know."

Leon was over in an instant. He took hold of Cloud's shirt and pulled him close. His voice was snarl. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Cloud angrily shoved him away. "Sephiroth is blocking out his presence."

"Why didn't I fucking see this?" Zack swore viciously. "He said twelve hours before _he_ collected Riku. He never said anything about not making him come to him."

"What is going on?" Tifa looked between everyone.

"They've got to be at the castle." Zack deducted. He turned toward Cid. "Stay here and explain everything to Tifa. Do _not_ come after us."

Cid nodded. "You better save the kid."

"Yeah," agreed Zack. He took off for the castle with Leon and Cloud on his heels. He felt like a fool. He should have seen this coming. No, his old friend did not lie but he was a master manipulator and Zack had played right into it.

Now Aerith was in danger also.

He spared a glance at first Cloud then Leon. The blond's face was angry and there was an intense light to his eyes. He clearly did not want to be confronting Sephiroth. Leon's expression was set with determination but there was genuine fear to his eyes. He had never actually had to face Sephiroth head on.

Zack had no idea what they were about to find but he knew all three of them were prepared to do whatever it took to end this. Riku would be and could be saved and they were rapidly running out of options how.

…And even though it broke his heart, Zack realized he was very likely going to have to again watch one of his friends die.

--0—0—0—

There will be one chapter after this. Let me know what you all think, it motivates me to work harder on this one.


	7. The End of All Hope?

Please forgive the many errors/mistakes I know are in here.

The End of All Hope? 

Upon reaching the castle proper, Cloud abruptly halted and a distracted, almost pained look came to his face. He narrowed his blue eyes in concentration, casting them about over the courtyard. "They're close but not together."

"Where?" Leon's voice was tight.

Cloud's lip twisted. His gaze became distant and he murmured. "What are you trying to do?"

Zack kept a detached eye on him as he looked over the area for any trace of Aerith or Riku. He could not bear the thought of the woman being dragged into this. If she got hurt, he did not know what he would do.

Then he had to worry about what might be happening to Riku.

Cloud violently shook his head as if coming out of a stupor. He locked his jaw and began walking toward the castle doors with an angry gait. "Sephiroth is in the ballroom."

"What about Riku?" Zack fell in beside him. Leon was close behind.

"He's headed for the ballroom, too."

Cloud and Zack pushed open the doors together and the three strode in. There was a noticeable tension to the air creating an oppressive weight that threatened to slow them down. They pressed on, however, not allowing themselves to be deterred.

Cloud took point and guided them to the right of the ornate staircase. Long corridors ran back from the case to lead to the ballroom behind it. As they entered it, a flash of pink disappeared at the far end.

"Aerith!" Zack sprinted ahead of the other two. He skidded around the corner and literally swept his girlfriend off her feet. He held on to her tightly for a moment, simply thankful to find her safe and unharmed.

"Zack;" She quickly embraced him before forcing him to release her. "Riku…"

She turned around and he followed her gaze. Fear once again ceased his heart. At first, he thought he was back in Nibelheim and was once again helplessly watching as his friend stood before the door that would lead him to his destruction.

Riku's expression was the exact same as Sephiroth's had been on that occasion.

"Riku;" Leon spoke the name softly but did not come closer than Zack and Aerith already were.

The teen glanced over, that lost look still to his features. Despite this, he smiled faintly. "It will be all right, Squall."

Riku then pushed the door open and disappeared through it.

The four moved quickly after him, Zack and Leon in the lead. Just outside the entry, they stopped as Cloud groaned and lost his balance. His shoulder hit the wall and he pitched forward.

Aerith took hold of his arm to ease his fall. He griped her small wrist and looked up at Zack, pain etched in his face. "Go."

Zack was torn. "Are you-"

"He's using me to distract you;" Cloud cut him off. He gritted his teeth and clutched at his head. "Go!"

Zack set his jaw. Meeting Aerith's eyes, he silently told her to stay with Cloud. He poured as much affection as he could into the message, knowing that somehow she would understand it. She smiled and nodded, wordlessly sending her support back. Zack decided right then and there that when all of this was over, he was marrying the woman.

Turning, the former SOLDIER tapped Leon's arm. "Let's go."

Steel eyes flicked toward him, shaded with determination. He did not say a word as he faced forward. Together, they pushed open the ballroom doors.

The large chamber was typical of most ballrooms with the marble floor and pillars lining the walls to create narrow alcoves. Three enormous chandeliers hung from the raised ceiling and the entire far wall was made of gold-framed panes of glass. This expanse of glass revealed a rounded balcony.

Riku stood before the central section of windows, nearly ten feet out from it. His back was to Zack and Leon and he appeared to be oddly relaxed. In front of him, Sephiroth stood framed by open French doors, looking just as relaxed as Riku. His shoulder wing fluttered casually and he wore a light grin.

The positioning of the pair was so cliché, Zack would have laughed under different circumstances.

"Welcome." Sephiroth announced, words echoing through the expansive space. "Your timing is once again lagging, Zack."

Leon was in no mood for this and moved toward Riku. He made it five feet before three pillars of fire surrounded him. The front right one burned his arm.

"That's close enough, Leonhart." The easy tone never left Sephiroth's voice.

Riku turned his head to the side. "Neither of you should be here."

"Neither should you." Zack retorted, slowly making his way forward. Sephiroth fixed his bright eyes on him but let him approach.

Zack looked at his former friend pleadingly. "You don't want this, Seph. You don't want him to become another you. I know you want better for him."

"Why would he want that?"

Zack froze. Riku's question rang hollowly through the ballroom and Zack realized belatedly what he had just done. Riku did not know why Sephiroth wanted him. He had not yet been told…

Sephiroth smirked. "Tell him, Zackary. Tell the boy what he is."

Slowly shaking his head, Zack pleaded. "Please, Seph."

The winged man's humor abruptly disappeared. "Tell him what he is, Zack."

"He is nothing but himself." Leon's voice declared. "Nothing you say or do will change that."

"I wasn't addressing you." Sephiroth raised a hand. "Sin Harvest."

Leon dropped, screaming as he again hit the pillars of fire that continued to entrap him. The smell of burned skin and charred leather drifted out. Riku whirled around, staring in horror for a moment. "Stop it, Sephiroth!"

The pillars disappeared and Leon completely collapsed, falling to his side. Riku ran over to him, carefully moving the unconscious body and muttering curgra to heal the burns. The man remained motionless.

Riku lightly touched his face before standing and turning back toward Sephiroth. He kept his head down, eyes hidden from view. "Why are you doing all of this?"

"…Because you are mine."

Zack stared between the two, mind frantically trying to come up with someway to stop this. Despite everything happening, he could not let go of his belief that Sephiroth did not want to do this. He could have easily killed Leon just now but he did not.

Riku lifted his face and his aqua eyes were unnaturally bright as he fixed his gaze on Sephiroth. Zack silently begged Riku not to ask the question he knew he was about to. He knew he could not stop what was now inevitable.

The teen spoke clearly and precisely as he took a few steps forward. "Who are you?"

There was a long, expectant silence. Sephiroth seemed to be considering his answer. As Zack looked at him, he saw that unusual shift in his old friend's eyes. The raven-haired man found himself holding his breath waiting.

A soft smile tugged at Sephiroth's lips as he studied the teen. His voice and tone held a gentle quality despite the harshness to the words. "I am your father."

Zack switched his attention to the younger silver-haired male. Riku simply stood there quietly for a horribly long length of time. His expression did not change, nor did he make any movement.

The silence was broken by the teen's soft voice. "No, you're not."

Sephiroth's eyes lit up with fury.

Riku took a step closer. "You may have once been my father, but you stopped being that a long time ago. If you were my father you wouldn't be doing this."

Zack felt a huge swelling of pride at the boy's statement. While it saddened him that the words only served to reinforce what everyone believed about Sephiroth, it proved that Riku was not going to let himself be taken by this madness like his father had. There was still hope.

Sephiroth stared at Riku with righteous anger. "Those are brave words, child, but you are incorrect. You belong to me."

"I belong to myself."

The winged man's expression smoothed out, falling back into that casual, almost easy smile. His eyes, however, grew hard and calculating. "You do not truly believe that, not after Xehanort."

"It's because of Xehanort I believe it." Riku countered. "I may have lost my body to him but my heart was always my own." The teen lowered his voice. "Just as your heart is your own despite what Jenova did to your mind."

Zack started. How did Riku know about that? How long had Riku been piecing all of this together and how much did he already know?

Abruptly, Sephiroth laughed. It was rich and almost happy sounding. While it sent a shiver down Zack's spine, there was a trace of joy at hearing it. How long had it been since he had heard that laugh?

All too soon, Sephiroth was again quiet and looking at Riku with that cold, mildly curious expression. "You are so much like me, perhaps too much."

Zack tensed up as Sephiroth began walking toward his son. He remembered every one of Sephiroth's movements and he knew the man was preparing to do something. He doubted it would be anything good.

The former general stopped before Riku, slowly and deliberately raising his hand and touching the teenager's cheek. Riku did not flinch and Sephiroth angled his head. His words were oddly sad. "Such strength."

Before Zack had a chance to react, Sephiroth had taken hold of Riku's arm and pulled the boy close. Feline eyes glittered with malice. "You waste that strength, Son."

"Let him go, Sephiroth!" Zack suddenly found his voice.

"You had your chance, Zack."

The raven-haired man had to make one last attempt to end this before anyone else got hurt. "You can stop this, Seph. Right now, you can end this."

"No, it is Riku who must end this."

Riku's expression darkened and his eyes widened. He stared at Sephiroth, shaking his head minutely. "I'm not going with you and I'm not going to kill you."

The older silver-haired man smiled. "Foolish boy."

Masamune appeared in his hand and Riku leapt back, summoning Way to the Dawn. Sephiroth idly held the long blade before him. "You brought this upon yourself."

"Riku!" Zack called out, recognizing that Sephiroth was not going to attack with the sword. Riku was already spinning away from the barrage of dark orbs that began raining down.

Sephiroth advanced and Riku raised his Keyblade in defense. The pair traded hits in a rapid secession that Zack could barely track. It quickly became obvious that neither was fighting to kill.

If anything, Sephiroth seemed to be simply testing his child's skill.

Zack carefully worked his way back toward where Leon still lay unconscious. He kept his attention tightly focused on the pair dueling as he did. When he reached the man, he tried to decide what he could do next.

Sephiroth stopped fighting and Riku stumbled as his hit missed its intended mark. The man used that and whipped out his leg, catching the boy in the midsection. Riku dropped to his knees in pain.

The son of Jenova smirked as he looked up. "I was beginning to wonder what was keeping you, Cloud."

Zack whirled around and his heart fell. Both Cloud and Aerith stood at the doorway. It was obvious neither had any intention of leaving.

"…And you brought the Ancient. Anxious to see her die again?"

"You can't win this, Sephiroth." Cloud's voice was calm despite his clearly seen fury.

"Well, that depends on what I'm trying to win, now doesn't it?" Something strange entered Sephiroth's eyes as he said this.

Zack stared at his former friend as understanding kicked in.

Sephiroth moved toward Zack and Leon. It quickly became clear who his target was as he raised his hand. "Pale Horse."

Zack went to jump in front of Leon, planning to take the spell himself but a dark shield rose up. It didn't entirely stop it but what worked its way through did little harm to Zack. It likely did not affect Leon at all.

Riku again engaged Sephiroth in battle, expression angrier than Zack had ever seen it, drawing his estranged father away from the others. Zack wanted to jump in, wanted tell Riku to run away but he knew the teen would not. They were going to have to take this all the way to the bitter end.

He stiffened a bit when someone touched his shoulder. He realized it was Aerith and tensed up further. He turned and gripped her hand. "Aerith, you can't be here. You have to take Leon and go!"

She nodded quickly. Zack tugged her forward and kissed her briefly before helping her get Leon into a position she could pull him out with. Once that was accomplished, she mouthed an _I love you_ and began dragging Leon out.

Cloud was standing on the opposite side of Zack, blue eyes tracking the father and son duel with eerie precision. "It ends today."

Zack stood, removing the Buster from his back. Cloud was already holding Tsurugi. "Looks like it."

"I'm sorry, Zack."

Zack allowed himself a second to process what they were about to do. "So am I."

The pair then ran toward Sephiroth and Riku.

They arrived just as Sephiroth was aiming a quick strike at Riku's left shoulder. The teen was reacting but his movements had slowed since all of this started. He was not experienced in long, drawn out fights and Sephiroth had been steadily exhausting him.

Cloud intercepted the hit, tapping Masamune away and launching his own attack on the winged man. Sephiroth smirked, an almost elated gleam coming to those insanity- hazed eyes. The two began exchanging blows in a steady, even pace.

Riku tried to follow but Zack stopped him. "You've done enough, Riku. Let us finish this."

"But…" Riku weakly protested. "I don't want…"

Zack smiled sadly. "Neither do I, Riku. Now go."

The teen shook his head. "I'm not leaving but I'll stay out of the way."

"Riku-"

Cloud's groan echoed through the ballroom, breaking the conversation. Zack turned around and raced across the room to help. He did not think about whom it was he was fighting, shutting all of that way.

It did not matter any more.

Sephiroth backhanded Cloud, sending him flying into a wall. When he moved to advance, Zack was there. If Sephiroth was surprised, he gave no sign of it. He simply turned and began dueling with his former second-in-command.

"So you finally understand, Fair." An upward strike.

A slice down and to the left. "It doesn't have to end like this, Seph."

Sephiroth's green eyes brightened and he lunged at Zack. He let loose a rapid series of short, precise move, pushing Zack back toward the large windows. The younger man managed to counter them but knew that would not last.

By now Cloud had recovered and rejoined the fight. Sephiroth had to stop his advancement but seemed to be having little trouble with holding off the two of them. It was quickly becoming a stalemate.

Then Zack made a fatal error. Instead of coming at him with a waist-height sweep from the left, Sephiroth angled the blade up. The tip grazed across Zack's upper arm and while Zack winced, he followed it up with a blast of dark energy that sent Zack flying through the glass behind them.

He hit the marble railing outside hard enough to crack ribs. He pitched forward, struggling to breath. Managing to look up, he saw Cloud begin attacking with newfound vigor. The blond was on to using his limit breaks.

Zack shakily retrieved a potion from his pocket and drank it. If he had broken any bones, it would not help much but he would at least be able to get up and help Cloud. A moment passed and he stood, intent on rejoining the fight.

He moved as quickly as he could back into the ball room and froze. He had no idea how it had happened in the few seconds they were out of his sight but Cloud was now pinned to the wall, face twisted in pain. Masamune was plunged into his lower right abdomen.

Zack forced himself to run forward. He knew he did not stand much of a chance but he had to get Sephiroth away from Cloud. He had to end this.

He gathered as much power to him and leapt up, ready to land a paralyzing blow or die trying. As he came down, Sephiroth removed the sword from Cloud's body and gracefully turned. He easily countered the strike, reversing the energy Zack expended on it toward Zack.

The man fell back on to the marble floor, feeling more ribs snap at the impact. Sephiroth advanced, holding Masamune's hilt up beside his head. Zack did not look at the sword, only at Sephiroth's face.

His expression was nearly blank with the barest trace of a frown tugging one corner of his lip. Those feline eyes stared down at him with madness and fury. Then Zack noticed that odd look had entered those eyes again and finally recognized what it was.

Regret.

Zack found himself smiling for reasons he did not understand. Sephiroth adjust his stance and brought his blade down in a quick, killing thrust to Zack's heart. Zack's only thought in that moment was that he hated that Aerith was going to have to go through this again.

It took another fraction of a moment to realize Masamune never hit its mark.

Sephiroth's eyes widened a touch and he dropped his sword, which fell harmlessly atop Zack's prone body. He staggered once, half-turning. A genuine smile lit his face and he fell beside Zack.

Violet eyes tracked his decent in stunned disbelief. Sephiroth studied Zack for a long moment, that unusual smile still in place. Zack saw a dozen emotions flash through those fading eyes. He felt his own tear up as he realized they were truly _Sephiroth's_ eyes.

"Thank you." Sephiroth managed out, some blood escaping the corner of his mouth. "Take… care of… him…"

Then those glowing green eyes dimmed and his face relaxed, that small smile smoothing out but not disappearing.

Zack heard a soft cry and rapidly blinked away his tears, turning his head. Riku stared down at Sephiroth's motionless body, Way to the Dawn still clutched tightly in his hand. Rivulets of tears ran past his cheeks, covering his horrified expression.

"Riku."

The teen looked to Zack and this seemed to snap him a bit out of it. He released his keyblade and darted over to Zack's side. "Are you alright?"

Zack nodded and gave the boy a sorrowful smile. "I'm sorry, Riku. It… shouldn't have ended this way."

Riku bit his trembling lower lip and Zack's heart just broke. He tried to reach up to touch the youth's face but simply did not have the strength. "You shouldn't have… had to…"

"This is what he wanted." Riku gazed at his newly discovered father. "This was the only way he knew I'd be safe."

Zack nodded in silent agreement. It hurt him beyond words but it felt right. Riku helped him sit up and allowed the boy to cast curgra on him. He flicked his eyes over to Cloud, who was barely conscious against the wall.

The blond was staring at Sephiroth with a mix of disbelief, relief, and remorse.

Zack coughed out a laugh, which gained both Riku and Cloud's attention. "The three of us are going to need a _ton_ of therapy."

Riku gave a weak smile and Cloud chuckled painfully. Zack motioned with his chin toward Cloud. "Get him stable enough to take to Aerith, I'm strong enough to move on my own now."

Riku nodded and moved away. Zack looked to the side and gently closed Sephiroth's eyes. His whispered words could barely be heard by even himself. "Your welcome, friend. I swear, I'll take care of Riku as if he were my own."

End

--0—0—0

Please, please leave me lots of feedback on this little story. You have no _idea_ how hard it was for me to write.

And before anyone asks, this is it. There will be no more of this story line. I hoped you all enjoyed the ride.


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